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The rivalry between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has been dubbed the El Clasico of the Indian Premier League (IPL), as they are the two most successful franchises in the competition's history with five and four titles respectively. The historic rivalry is set to resume on Saturday, with MI hosting CSK at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai for match 12 of IPL 2023.
Both teams are desperate for redemption after a horrendous season last year, in which MI got a wooden spoon while CSK finished ninth. However, with the return of the home-and-away format after three seasons, both franchises have had shaky starts.
Mumbai's opening-game jinx continued to haunt them as they started their campaign on a horrendous note with an eight-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, CSK lost their tournament opener against the Gujarat Titans before bouncing back with a close 12-run win over the Lucknow Super Giants at their fortress in Chennai.
Mumbai will look to put their drubbing behind them and win their first points of the season, while CSK will look to continue their momentum, which will certainly make this a mouthwatering clash.
The MI vs CSK rivalry has produced some of the most iconic matches in the IPL, including three in the final. Here is a look at the three most memorable matches played between the two champion sides across the last 15 editions:
MI vs CSK, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, 2012
In their second group clash of the IPL 2012 season, CSK, after being put into bat by MI, racked up a respectable 173 for eight with some useful contributions from Dwayne Bravo (40) and Murali Vijay (41). But it was quick-fire cameos from Suresh Raina (36) and MS Dhoni (25) that propelled what was looking like a modest total to a challenging 170+ score.
In reply, MI were jolted early before skipper Sachin Tendulkar and opener Rohit Sharma stitched a 133-run partnership, and it looked like they would cruise to the target seamlessly.
However, like every MI vs CSK encounter, this match was bound for a dramatic twist as the CSK bowlers pulled things back, dismissing four key MI batters including Sachin Tendulkar (74), Dinesh Karthik, Ambati Rayudu, and Rohit Sharma (60), within 13 balls.
The chase seemed to slip out of MI’s grip when Dwayne Bravo, showing his death bowling prowess, picked up two wickets in the penultimate over, leaving MI needing 16 runs from the last six balls.
Ben Hilfenhaus, who was given the responsibility of bowling the last over, was right on the money with the first three deliveries reading 1, W, 1.
MI were hoping for a miracle as Dwayne Smith was on strike for the last three balls and needed to score 14 runs.
The West Indies batsman clobbered a full toss over long on for six. He smashed another low, full toss for four over the bowler.
With four needed off the last ball, Smith capped off his cameo with a thunderous smack to long off to produce one of the greatest IPL finishes.
MI vs CSK, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, 2019
The 2019 IPL final between MI and CSK was the epitome of drama.
The then-defending champions CSK held the edge after the first innings as they restricted a strong MI batting lineup to 149 for eight. If it had not been for Kieron Pollard’s unbeaten 25-ball 41, then MI would have been looking at a below-par score in the final.
But you can never count MI out, and Chennai knew it. A spirited fightback from their bowling rattled the CSK top order even as opener Shane Watson kept fighting the lone battle and raised his fifty in 44 balls. The Aussie then upped the ante and took a special liking to Krunal Pandya, whom he tonked three consecutive sixes off in the 18th over.
The drama intensified when Quinton De Kock dropped a simple catch off Jasprit Bumrah and conceded an all-important bye, gifting four crucial runs to CSK, which meant they needed nine off the last over to defend their title.
The situation was palpable for MI, with skipper Rohit Sharma turning to Lasith Malinga, who had a lackluster game up until then, conceding 42 runs in three overs.
It seemed like Malinga saved his best for this over of the match as he brought up his accuracy and variations in equal measure.
A quick throw from Krunal Pandya in the deep led to Watson getting run out, who departed after scoring an impressive 80 off 59.
Needing four off two, Shardul Thakur managed to score two runs off his first ball, which meant all three results were possible.
Malinga then trapped Shardul leg-before with a deceiving slower ball to hand Mumbai an unbelievable come-from-behind win for their fourth IPL title.
MI vs CSK, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, 2021
A thriller that witnessed old guns dominate proceedings, this MI vs CSK match was an all-time classic.
Ambati Rayudu’s manic 27-ball 72 propelled CSK to a mammoth total of 218/4 in Delhi. He was ably supported by Faf du Plessis (50) and Moeen Ali (58), who played their roles to perfection in providing a platform for the team.
MI batsmen needed to hit boundaries at regular intervals to remain close to the required run rate. At the halfway mark, MI were reeling at 81 for three and needed a miraculous innings from someone to chase down an improbable target.
And who better than Kieron Pollard to provide his team with the much-needed impetus against their biggest rivals?
Pollard kept belting the CSK bowlers despite wickets falling around him. Despite his heroics and some crucial support from Krunal Pandya, MI still required 16 off the final over with Pollard on strike.
He smoked CSK seamer Lungi Ngidi for two fours and a six over deep square-leg, which brought the equation down to MI needing two off the last delivery.
Pollard managed to hit Ngidi's yorker to long on and completed two runs to cap off an all-time classic. The West Indian player finished with 87 points off 34 deliveries.
MI and CSK will lock horns at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai today in their 35th IPL clash. MI have an edge over their arch-rivals in their rivalry, winning 20 matches while losing 14.
